Gearbox president: 'Borderlands has zero competition'

Borderlands has been a tremendous success for developer Gearbox Software. Which begs the question: "why hasn't it been copied?"

Borderlands has been a tremendous success for developer Gearbox Software. Which begs the question: "why hasn't it been copied?"

Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has been wondering exactly the same thing. "I'm actually astonished that we're about to launch a sequel and no one's stole it from us," Pitchford said. "We're in an industry where people do nothing but steal from each other. That's kind of interesting."

When the first game launched in 2009, Gearbox had declared it the "fastest selling original IP" of the year. In fact, it went on to sell over two million copies. Those numbers must have invited copycats by now, no? "Not that I want anyone to steal it, or I'm challenging people to steal it," Pitchford added.

The lack of clones and competitors has Pitchford quite pleased, and exemplifies why the studio is so keen not to ever have to compete with the likes of Call of Duty. Using boxing as a metaphor, Pitchford explains how it's easier to avoid competing with the industry heavy hitters. "Why let our brains get beat in and put so much energy, when we're not even sure we can beat the best boxer? We can create new sports, or we can win some other sport."

"If you're the only ones that do something that people find as valuable? You don't have to worry about competition," he told Gamasutra. "Like, Borderlands has zero competition. It doesn't have to worry about that at all."